Dickens produced and acted in numerous such as The Infant Phenomenon from Nicholas Nickleby, pictured here. (Image courtesy Free Library)

As part of its Year of Dickens 2012 celebrations, the Free Library of Philadelphia is excited to host a special exhibition that examines Charles Dickens’s passion for the performing arts.

At Home on the Stage: Charles Dickens and the Theatre opens June 4 in the Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library.

An avid fan of the theatre, Dickens was involved in the performing arts early in his career. He attended and enjoyed theatrical performances throughout London and loved to socialize with his many friends in the theatre world.

Dickens’ passion for the theater culminated in his amateur stagings of plays in his “Smallest Theatre in the World” — a miniature stage built in his own home.

Featuring handmade playbills, original scripts and various ephemera, At Home on the Stage offers a unique perspective on Dickens’s flair for the dramatic.

And it’s the perfect place for it. The Free Library’s Rare Book Department is home to one of the finest collections of Dickens’s first editions, personal letters and original artwork in the world.

For more details about the Year of Dickens 2012, including a comprehensive list of events, visit freelibrary.org/dickens.

At Home on the Stage is open to the public Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

At Home on the Stage: Charles Dickens and the Theatre
Where: Rare Book Department at Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street
When: opening June 4; Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: Free
More info: libwww.freelibrary.org